The Love They Never Had: The Nam Mansion

Part 3: Survival- Chapter 20: Gwanchal (Observations)

From the time that the Nam's left, life was lonely in this vast and gloomy home. I was completely restricted in every way possible, and I was no allowed out of my quarters for any reason, other than to bathe and cook my own food as usual. At least the Young Master made sure that I was being served properly by new servants he had sent over after his absence. But that wasn't all, it had looked like the servants who were once glued by Chun-Ae's side were all begging to return to my service since the new maid seemed to treat them worse than they could possibly bare. "May I ask you for a favour, Young Mistress?" The very same servant who had left my side before Chun-Ae's sudden death had now been waiting to greet me every morning for a week, 3 months after the Nam's had left for war. And I had been trying to ignore him as much as I could, but it looked like my luck had ran out today as I had come by him as soon as I had made my breakfast in the kitchen as early as possible so I could avoid the new maid as I had done all this time. She could make all of the changes that she wanted to in this household, that really didn't concern me at all. But I had barely gained a foothold in this home myself and I somehow had a feeling that this maid wasn't the type to share her new home, especially when she eventually found out that I wasn't the Young Master's cousin at all. I knew that Nam-Jeon wouldn't kick me out and I had no idea why, but nobody could protect me from the new set of challenges that I knew I would eventually have to share until the Young Master returned home in one piece.
"...I have been waiting for you for anxiously for a while now, but I barely had the time to get away from work and..." "Will you please get to the point, my breakfast is getting cold." "If you do not disdain, then I will spare no efforts into working for you again at all costs." "Well that is very kind of you, but does the new maid know about this? She might be unhappy if you commit to me again without her consent? I cannot give you my consent either without the young master's approval." "Do not worry about that my lady, no-one will go against this minor wish of yours. All you have to do is simply ask."
"I really wonder if you made the excuse of your stomach hurting because you have seen your former Mistress. I do understand that the Young Master has sent her some new servants, but are they really not enough for you to wish to re-employ my incompetent slave?" All of my hard work of wandering around in this household as an invisible being had now gone to waste as I now stood face to face with a woman who looked younger than I was...and dressed up exactly like me. Down to the shoes and accessories that I had picked out for the day. How could she have possibly known...

"You misunderstand, I am happy that somebody as loyal as this servant can work for Chun-Ae's new replacement. Any request for myself to re-employ him is simply out of the question." "Well well, you are very well-mannered indeed. It is not surprising that the Young Master treats you with such care. Not even I can compare with this...." "As far as I am aware, you currently hold onto the status of a top maid, so how could you possibly imagine you could have the same amount of care that I do?" I couldn't hide my nonsensical jealousy and I no longer wished to, at least in the Young Master's absence. "The Young Master only pities my condition and orphanage, but it sounds like you are the only maid in this household who has ever gained her own quarters. That would surely suggest how much he values your...talents." "You stupid servant! Go and slap yourself 50 times before returning to your chores! How dare you look your nose down at me whilst sucking others shoes! You do not even remember asking me for the very same favour on the day of your previous master's demise! Don't you are think of eating with your eyes on somebody else's plate!"

"I advise you not to waste your breath on a disloyal servant like him. No one would trust anyone with this sort of trait within him. And I expect that all of her old maids are like this." "Young Mistress! Before you turn away to enjoy your meal, I wonder if you would entreat me to a cup of tea? We have avoided each other long enough it seems and if we are to live together, we might as well get to know each other, isn't that right?" As if taking out her anger for my words on a defenceless servant wasn't enough, now she wanted to use any excuse to have a look around in my quarters? And my suspicions were confirmed when she made her way into my room without giving me a chance to reply to her request or even letting me lead the way inside. "I really do like the fragrance of the fruits here, it really does have a calming effect." "I dislike burning incense sticks or scented candles and I even abstain from rouges or powders of I can..." "it doesn't look like you need it either. I really am envious of you." I could only smile wearily as I began to eat my food so I had less opportunity to answer back as sarcastically as I was. I had no idea what it was about this woman that instantly made me distrust her, but my gut was my only lifeline in the young master's absence and I would be a fool to disregard it for the sake of polite etiquette that I was barely trained in.